Objectively it hasn 't been that long since he 's been in this very office, standing in this very position, but it truly feels like a lifetime ago. He doesn 't even feel like the same person. But Commissioner Saito doesn 't seem to have changed a bit, as stoic and impassive as ever.

That is, until she speaks.

'Good work these past few months, Hawks. I 've heard nothing but praise from everyone who 's worked with you, ' she says approvingly, utterly shocking him.

That ' was not at all what he 'd expected her to say.

'I ' ' He 's almost too floored to speak. He remembers himself enough to affect a sloppy bow in her direction. 'That 's great to hear, thank you. '

Saito nods. 'Your reports as well, they 've been incredibly useful. And shockingly well-formatted ' your work no doubt, Kobayashi-san. '

'You give me too much credit, ' his handler Kobayashi protests, from beside him. 'Hawks-san did most of the hard work. '